reporters and states and start calling your wires before they started ripping copy. now what happens is a tweet goes out, a blog posting goes out and throughout the day it is updated. we didn't have a cycle. every single day was just a non-stop news cycle. >> that would seem to me to put more of a premium on staying focused. you have thousands of waves of questions from us. news cycles going by. what was the one thing if you had to keep your eye on the prize, day after day, what was it for you? >> well, in terms of feedia, there is still a huge power in television. local television. national television. people watch that. that's still how people get their news. that's part of it i think. the twitter piece, i'm sure this is the same for the romney team. there is a strategy around every day. every news pusher.

what surrogates are saying on top radio. that was very big challeng

>> and they're all tweeting. that typically news has. >> let me ask you. it felt at times the conversation was happening in that tiety character space. there was a big campaign going on. there's a turning point. somewhere in the campaign where the conversation over here got it wrongs. there one that you can think of? the convention speech was purposely done in the way it was

done. it was not the most exciting speech or the president's race speech. as the most amazing speechlt however it gave the american people a plan and understanding of what he wanted to do moving forward and how and that's why we saw a bump in the polls post and this was kind of a disconnect where we were all on this trip in florida reading all the analysis and it all said this is terrible. horrendous and all these things and we were thinking, well we tested it and people really like speech. they like what he had to say and that ended up the road map for us moving forward. >> i don't think the wrong women materialized among the larger electorate in this sort of small day-to-day combat we had on cable news and on blogs and twitter.

i think we had a difficult marriage gap that effected our ability to win but if you look at the exit poling and the winning on the economy and having at least an imaginable gender gap that was something that really did was catnip for t.v. bookers and made for sort of the outrage index that often times comes with the dialogue in campaigns. it said that but i don't think materialized as a big of a difference in the campaign. >> i talked to someone in the romney operation that said when we were talking of the polls and evaluation and why they were shocked that it was not a lot closer they said we never ran the models of what i would be like if the democrats turned out the way they did. can you tell me about the surprise there? >> we looked at the 2004 and

2008 and figured with the enthusiasm level we have and the gap the democrats have we don't believe it'll be the same turn-out and the compos toift ebbing length trait will look like 2008. there's been discussion since how this electorate is changing but i don't think the obama campaign gets enough credit. i think the turn-out was extraordinary and they did well making sure they have the exact model to win. i talk to a lot of folks i work with on the ground in states like ohio and we had public polls that would show four points down but that's placed on ad plus 7 model. meaning it's going to be a model that shows that with seven-points more democrats and at the very bestd plus five and

maybe even plus three. it turned out it was what the polling seen and the obama folks were modeling theirs on. we didn't believe that was going to happen and that's one of the hard things about assumptions and guessing and turn-out but they don't get enough credit for creating that part of the electorate they needed to win. >> even in time in retrospect. when you're going through it. it's a nailbiter and this a president with a tough economy and the enthusiasm across the board. was there ever sort of a dark scary thing that you were worried about that was one version would be what if the turnover numbers were not what they would be. what's the big if that kept you up at night. >> you are worried young people

will not turn-out. you worry there's this huge surge in growth in the latino population. the president ended up growing more than anyone in american history but that requires getting people out. getting them registered and out. that was one of the reasons why early voting was a big part of the strategy you saw an early voting increase in key states by a couple of percentage votes and we targeted less likely voters but there's always moments and there's moments during the campaign where you think, uh-oh. how about after that first debate? >> i'm so surprised you brought that up. >> that was my second. >> you know the first debate. someone that has worked with him on and off for six years i was there in 2007 and 08.

the first debate was important for us and probably a defining point us for and it reminded a lot of us when we lost the new hampshire primary where you think we're in a good place and then you think uh-oh. hold on there's a rock. and the first debate going into it, you don't know how you're going to do. no one knows you can get a vibe from your candidate and talk to everyone that's been a part of it. he hadn't done one in four years and afterwards we didn't think it was as bad as everybody did and we all went out and talked to everyone and it was only until day or so later. >> but you saw twitter that was melting. >> yes my computer was on fire. it was important because it was a hunkering down for us and a reminder that we knew all along this would be hard fought.

the president took a lot of it on himself and buck everyone up around him. it was important for us. we need that moment. his great one was his back is against the wall and it was important for all those reasons. >> tell us. take us a little inside mitt romney preparing for the first debate. not a great september so his back was against the wall going into the first debate. give us a sense of mitt romney. someone people had a difficult time getting hold of as he prepared for the first debate and comes out of it? >> that's one thing every since i worked for romney six years ago, if i can get this guy in everyone's living room and let them see the command of the issues he has he would be able to win and that was something we looked at preparing for the debate. this is his chance to cut through the 30 second

advertising that had been bombarding people with negative information about governor rom me. i was very happy with the performance in denver but largely because as an irish man i expect the worse to happen. he was so good at getting at governor romney and i thought performance wise i started worry. but once the governor gut and he saw this opportunity to cut through that was a talking point but also very true. so i think once he had that up there and he knew he had that opportunity to talk right to voters he took it and we saw the result. >> what do you think he'll do now >> i don't know.

i know he'll spend some time with family. one of the things i was struck by was when we were on the plane one of the last few days i asked him. lot of the reporters as we get closer will trying to force questions upon you. what happens if you win or lose and don't think we ever really talked about you don't go through the brutality thinking your actually going to lose but being the press guy my job is to put him on the couch and prepare him for the questions. they're going to ask him. he said if i win i'm going to be excited because then i get to do all the things i've been talked about for the last six years and put my plan in action. if i lose i'll be excited because i goat go on with my life. they've - i've got a wonderful life and family. there's other things i can still do. i think he wrote a lot in his journal so i expect maybe we'll

see a book about the ideas and experiences and much more substantive than a campaign manifest o. god knows we don't have enough of those. that will be the second part of my therapy. but i think that he'll still, he's not going to drop off the map. i think the party right now has to get back to mixing the infrastructure and we also have to remember this is still, we have to be a party of ideas and constantly harness some of the energy around ideas and help the individuals that will be part of the party going forward. i think he'll trying to help them too. >> you were in the president with iowa an emotional place for him. give us a short picture of what it was like coming to an send in >> he's not a publically

emotional guy. you're all the walk dead. it's both campaigns and every reporter but he looked out that night and saw all these faces of these people that believed in him and were with him in 2007 and i don't mean random faces but three or four people he actually recognized and knew and waived at him and waved back. that struck him and impacted him and he got emotional that night and was very reflective as it sounds like governor romney was as well. the morning of the election we were waiting to do the up teeth interview and he said his supporters believe in him as much as ours do and there's kind of this untold bond i guess i would say when you've been through this crazy journey that you have reflection for the other person, but yeah, he was

pretty intro speckive. i think he did three or four laps of the room shaking hands because he knew it was the last time. >> thank you. >> thank you. [applause] >> next florida mark rubio speaked on the 65th birthday. he gave the keynote speech in all right due. this is about 45 minutes. >> it is now my honor to introduce know night's great speaker. senator marco rubio. first serving in the florida

house of representatives from 2000-2008 and elected in 2012 to the senate. he served on commerce science and transportation. foreign relations, intelligence and small business and entrepreneurship commit tease. he's the courage and tenacity to stand up to washington's reckless spending. he's the type of special that we need to restore fiscal discipline and champion job creation. if you ask me, america can expect great things from this man in the years to come. ladies and gentlemen, please give a warm iowa welcome to senator marco rubio. [applause] >> thank you. thank you.

thank you. thank you very much. so this thing beeps like that, i don't know what that means. cut it off, right? i'm really honored to be here. thanks for having me and governor for inviting me. i'm still new enough to be amazed that people so far from florida even care what i have to say. i'm glad to be back in this part of the country. you may not know this but i was here in this part of the country earlier in my life in 1989 and 90 i came to a small school. they're not around. it's not my fault but they're not. okay. maybe someone is not happy that college is not around but people ask me why did you go there? what brought you to northwest missouri. it was the only school in america that would allow me to

play football. don't laugh, you may not know this but i would have been in the national football league if it had not been for the lack of my size, speed and talent. i'm glad to be here for the second anniversary of your 65th birthday. it's great to be here for it and let's just address the elephant in the room. anytime anyone makes a trip to iowa. i am not now nor will i everything been a candidate for offensive coordinator of iowa. i know there's rumors. nah. i know there's rue horse but that's not. what i thought i would do is share my aftermath of this election. a lot of people are is couraged and i had the privilege to

travel the country on behalf of governor mitt romney. he's an extraordinary person and i believe would have been a phenomenal president and we hope his voice stays involved in the american political process. but we're having this conversation for those that believe in limited government conservatism about what it's all about for us and where we stand so. let me begin by a saying this is not about the republican party. this is about limited government canconservatism conservatism. it's what it's meaning is in the new century and it's never been decided by president thele elections. where you can find it is in states like this where fwov force like yours are applying tried-and-true principles to the

modern problems of the 21'st century. as i said on the way in to press that was asking me if america had a 5.1 unemployment rate we would be very happy. you deserve to beacon graph lateed for that. [applause] now for those of us in federal office the question is how do you apply that to the problems of the 21'st century. that's what we need to focus on now and moving forward. the problem that we're facing as country iga there this from traveling a lot over in the past six months talking to a lot of people in my home state and across the country. you can pick up lot of good insight in the check outline at the grocery store, picking your

kids up from school and traveling the country. here's the fundamental problem i sense. i think you know. our economy has stagnated particularly for the middle class. the fact is that today workers are not making as much as they did in jobs like that. i think of the jobs my parents had. my father was a bartender at events like this. my mother was a maid and a stock clerk. they were able to provide a standard of living. not rich by any means and my parent where is able to provide that standard of living with those jobs. it's very difficult to do that now a days. our middle class has stopped going and wages in the middle class have as well. private health insurance is harder to find. there's 45 million americans that have no healthcare and it's taking a bigger monthly bite out of the checks. this issue of our middle class

being under assault is not just an economic problem. this is a problem that goes to the core of what america is and here's what i mean by that. every country in the world has rich people. and unfortunately every country in the world has poor people. one of the things that made america exception salvation a vibrant middle class. you can always spire for that. no matter what the circumstances of your birth or where you came from were. the great promise of america. everyone would have the opportunity if they worked hard to go as far as talent and work ethic would take them so. this goes to the core of who we were as a people and nation and when we talk about the middle class in america we're talking about the essence of who we are as a nation and a people. before you can solve any problem you have to know the causes and there's two main causes of

what's happening to middle class americans. our economy is not growing fast enough and not created middle class jobs that pay people enough money so they can have the kind of life and give their kids the opportunities my parents gave me and your parents gave you. the second problem is too many of our people don't have the skills to take advantage of the jobs being created. i haven't had a chance to talk to the governor about this. i've heard from others in the state this is a state with low unemployment and they struggle fill some positions because people don't have the skills to do the jobs that are created that do pay the middle class type wages. the economy is not growing for a number of reasons. global is real. it's moved jobs over seas that were once here. automation is real. my wife when we were still dating about to get married in the first year of the marriage

she was a bank teller. there's not any, very many anymore. it is what that is. there's another reason. at the federal level we don't have what you have at the state level and that's stable political leadership. that understands that your governments that spend more money run into problems fast. you have to generate through taxes but if tax rates are too high the discourages people from this and if the predictable it scares people away. of course we have regulations you want your water to be drinkable and rules people have to follow but if rules are not part of a cost-benefit analysis and if you're not weighing the cost of the regulation with impact positive or negative you're going to have bad regulation. we don't have any of that.

government has contributed to the climate of growth. look at the fiscal climate. i don't know if you heard of this. congress made that. the idea we should have enormous tax increases at the same time as we have the dramatic cuts in spending at the same exact time that all the taxes expire, and at the moment that spending goes down in a dramatic uncontrolled way, that wasn't auntn accident. the fiscal cliff is a branch the dysfunctional process that threatens our economy. what about the uncertainty of what the tax regulations will be and what regulations will be about energy policy, the national debt. we owe $16 trillion dollars. all that discourages people from

investing their money in america because that's how the economy gross when someone has access to money decides to take it out of the bank and instead of gold they use to it invest in the economy and open up new business and people are afraid to do that in a country with a 16 trillion dollar debt. can't plan for regulation and energy poll state disenergy ten si vises planning and other growth in the united states. the second problem is our people don't have skills they need. it begin as societal break down. we have significant societal problems in america today. the break down of the american family has a direct impact on our economic well-being. i hear people talk about fiscal and social conservative. the social well being is linked to economic well-being. you cannot separate them and the fact is it's startling to see

what an enormous advantage in life it is when a child is raised in a stable home with two parents. it's the greatest gift my parents everything gave me. it us an enormous head start in life. i was raised in a strong and stable home where my parents loved and raised us and made us feel secure. there's a lot of kids don't find themselves in that situation and let me be clear. there's heroic single parents out there and they'll tell you how tough it is. millions of children each year are born out of wedlock. millions of kids going up in dangerous neighborhoods and substandard housing with no access to healthcare where they are from a broken family. maybe they're mom is working two jobs to make ends meet.

they're starting out life with five or six strikes against them and it's going to be difficult to get ahead unless someone does something. in our economy they manifest and we need to understand that. there's other issues and you're dealing with them. we need a 20th century curriculum. we need to kate our children. there's adult education. there's plenty of people in the late 20s or 30s. maybe they made the mistake of not going to school and now they want to change that. we have to figure out a way to get them back in programs to acquire skills in a trade. my sister did that in her mid 30's raising her two boys by herself she was able to go back to school and get her degree in education and a masters in special education and changed her life completely. we have to do that for more people. college costs are significant.

not just going to school like i did here. i transferred back after a year to university of florida and then law school. i graduated with exorbitant student debt. someone named sally may was taking a lot of money from me each month. when you added up student loans i spent more than that than any other expense. we had to do that as well. we have kids graduating with enormous debt load and they have no idea how much it's going to cost to take it back and they're studying for careers they will never have the money to pay it back. they deserve to know that going in what the are the solutions? we start with the simple notion. the way to turn our economic around is not by make rich people poorer it bias make poor people richer.

that's how you move our country forward. and it starts with economic growth. what can the government do the federal? level. how about balancing the federal budget so you don't have debt. how about tax rates that generate government needs but are not so high that people are afraid to invest in your economy moving forward? how about a regulatory process that takes into account the cost of the regulation and not just the theoretical benefits of those. how about investment in energy policy not just politics. and the united states is now the most enrich country in the world with a wide portfolio of energy resources. that's not just good in terms of jobs because it creates them and not just good because it allows

independence because it does. but it allows american manufacture together be conservative again. we've been losing jobs because labor cost where is lower overseas. all of the sudden all kinds of american manufacturing is viable again. know what manufacturing jobs are? they're middle class jobs that allow people to take a vacation. buy a house or to send their kids to college. if we had a viable energy policy we would be so much further ahead in economic growth. we do have a health insurance problem in america. absolutely but a big government solution is not the answer. we need to empower people to have access to a vibrant vibrant market where they can buy the insurance they need from any company in america that will sell to it them. federal policies that encourage that as well as tort reform. we need sound monetary policy. there's not enough talked about

that. but the federal see reserved roll should be having stable venn si. there's all kinds of other things you know agriculture is important and you realize the opportunity for american agriculture. there's millions of people around the world emerge together the middle class. they buy more stuff including food and many countrys can not produce the food they want to consume. that's where american man a factoring has the on for an extraordinary american renaissance. how about free but fair trade? we need more markets to buy the stuff we need and sell and there's millions of people out there that can afford to buy it. now and of course i think we need to modernize our legal immigration system. this is the most generous country in the world with immigrants. one million people a year immigrate here. no other country comes close but

the system needs to be modernized and take into account the opportunities for these and tourism as well. now that you have a middle class emerging from around the country can leave millions of dollars in places all across the country. we have a couple of places in central florida. few you may have heard of. one has a mouse. there's business exchange as well. these are the elements and there's other things government can do and they're pioneered at the state level. the second part is preparing our people and that starts with what i believe is the family structure. we have to be clear with people. there are consequences to societal break downs and our government cannot do anything to under mine those institutions in society that have always been the ones to help strengthen families. we must ensure federal policy does not allow that to happen. we need a 21'st century

education system. i believe in early childhood education and curriculums that teach kids what they need to succeed in the 21'st century. we need more of that because that's where the world is going to a knowledge based economy we're struggling in we're comparing our kids to compete with mississippi and alabama when they're competing with kid really in china. why have we stigmatized vocational education and career education? there are kids that don't want to go to harvard or yale they want to fix airplanes and it's a good paying job that god has given them a talent to do. we should be able to graduate them from high school with an industry certification. college affordability and adult education. all these things matter. i'll conclude saying this

frustration out there is real. from so many people on my side of the aisle i would venn tear to guess on the part of most of you here. lot of frustration about the outcome of the election. i've heard people saying i'm going to focus on my family and community and leave politics to others. maybe the american length trait has changed. they'll vote whoever promises them movement i don't believe that's true if it's true than the nature of our country is changed forever and that just can't happen. that cannot happen. i don't believe that's true. i really don't. i think that most people are like my parents. all they want is a job that pays them enough money to buy a house. take their kids an trip once in a while. do some things they enjoy in life and leave their kids better off than themselves. too many of them don't have the

skills to do the jobs created. that's what they want and i think the that's who we are as a people. i don't think that's changed i think what's happened unfortunate silly those were told we have more government if you allow to us tax one group more to pay for services for another group of people to convince people maybe that's the solution. here's the truth. big government doesn't hurt the people or help the people trying to make the. it hurts them. anywhere and every time it's everything been tried. big government crushes the people trying to get ahead. the people who have made it as the president calls them the millionaires and billion theirs and big corporations. there's nothing wrong with those folk but they can afford to deal with big government. they can hire the best lawyers in america. the best accountants and they can hire the best lobbyists in washington to change the law.

who can't deal is the small business they can't afford to deal with the cost of big government. that's why throughout the history of the world. 6 thousand years of recorded history almost anyone that's ever lived was poor. this about what i said in six thousand years of recorded history. almost every person that's lived has been poor and disenfranchised. we americans, this is the exception not the rule. what we have is not the human condition and in many parts of the world we have something that's rare and that's important because if america declines there's nothing to take our place. there's no other country and no other organization and nothing to be what we are and once were. there is no other country to stand there. what country will serve as an

inspiration to people told their whole lives you can't govern a country where people are allowed to express their opinions. we express our opinions. what hope is there for people around the world told you can only do the job your father or mother had because that's your station in life but they can look to america and see someone just like them that have accomplished extraordinary things if america declines and the power dimmed what takes it's place? nothing. your grand children will inherit not just a diminished country buddy finished world. daeshg and harder and probably more violent than it's been in along time. it's not just our country but the way the life is on the planet. that's worth fighting for and that means we need to do a better job convincing our fellow

american who is perhaps don't see things the way we do that free enterprize and limited government is the best way forward for them. free government and free enterprize is the only system that's everything allowed people to climb out of the circumstances of their birth. the only economic system ever allowed a vibrant wide bred middle class to take root. that's not going to be a hard argument for to us make and we have to. but i believe you will see all across this country what you're seeing here. the ideas that made us an exceptional nation will continue our children will inherent what i and you did. the single greatest nation in the history of all of mankind and i'm grateful you gave me an opportunity to share this with you today. i haven't had a chance to speak other than in my home after the election and even that's been limited.

but i'm grateful you gave me the opportunity to a dress you today. i feel so passionately what's at stake the truly generational. i don't see this as a challenge but an extraordinary opportunity. as an opportunity for us as a generation of americans to do our part and write our pages in the extraordinary history of this special place. often times people come to me all the time and say thanks for what you're doing in our country. i feel guilty when you say that to me. i want you to know i can never do for this country what it has done for me. i don't know what i'd be today in my parents had not come here. but i doubt i'd be here. perhaps i would be like all people throughout six thousand years. there's nothing wrong with being a bartender at a banquet like my father but he did that so i could have a career that i

wanted. i believe there's millions of people that still want that for their children and grandchildren here in america and our job is to make the easier for them to do that and government can play a role in making that happen. government brant said as an example i pray god will give me the opportunity to be part of that as well in d.c. thank you for the chance to speak to you on these topics. now. thank you. thank you. thank you. let me just say, i'm relieved there was no hecklers. thank you. the last thing is what we're really here to do is celebrate

the governor's birthday. i understand mckenzie is going to come and sing, right? everyone is coming? alright. great, so we want to hear them. i'm not going to sing. they're going to sing.

[singing, happy birthday] happy birthday to you ♪ [applaus [applause] >> grandpa? >> all girls and one more on the

way! [applause] we're expecting our fifth grand daughter in december. about a month away, so anyway, aren't they great? thank you very much, girls. first of all, i want to thank you all for come together night. i want to especially thank my girls for leading birthday song. you girls are great and you did a wonderful job and i'm really proud of you. [applause] i want to thank my wonderful wife, chris, and my entire family, my two sons and daughter and their spouses and the extended family. all of the people that have been such a wonderful support system

for me. i also want to thank another special family. the krans family that own insurance land. this is a great example for a family that provides wonderful recreational opportunity for people of iowa and thousands of visitors that come here. i have a nostalgic feeling every time i come to add venture land. we had my first 39th birthday party here and love coming to add venture land. this is a special place and i think that a lot of other people feel that same way because they've had a lot of wonderful experiences at this great place. adventure land and the family there are a great example of a wonderful iowa success story. thank you all for your

generosity. obviously i'm proud we can have this event here this year again. i know how important this park is for tourism as a whole and the benefit it provides to the economy. i want to thanks the co-chairs of this event and they did a fantastic job. patty and jim county and diane and john smith. thank you very much for making this such a great success. thank you. and also wanted to acknowledge the steering committee. cristy and jeff, sandy and gary, jackie and bob. karen and john gleason. janet and marc jacobs and the krans family. jennifer and chuck johnson. brenda and joe nevel. bruce and debbie and doug.

doug, and debbie. erin and matt. jane and bob. marsha and dan. i want to thank all of them for their good work and thanks to all of you for making this the most successful fundraiser the committee has ever had in history. thank you very much. [applause] i want to thank the wilder side band for the great entertainment and our baker of live love bake for delicious birthday treat tonight. this a wonderful cake they put together. thank you very much. and one of the big reasons for having such a great success is our inspirational speaker.

marco rubio. what a wonderful message he has and what a great example of the american dream and he is inspiration to me and so many others to continue to focus on limited government and empowering the private sector to grow opportunities for all of our people. to night's event. with this event we've turned the page and we looking forward the future. i've always been one that's learned that you never fight the last battle or look at the last campaign. you look to the future and learn from the mistakes of the past to do a better job in the future and marco is the kind of inspirational leader to help point us in the right direction.

lieutenant governor kim reynolds and i were very honored to have been select guide people of iowa two years ago to lead this great state, and we came to office with ambitious goals. we inherited a financial mess. not as big as the federal government has, but we had a lot of one time money used for on-going expenses. we had a projected deficit in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, actually hundreds of millions of dollars. this is government. and we had a lot of challenges. but i'm proud to say we came in with ambitious goals to reduce the size and cost of government to focus on bringing quality jobs to our state. reducing the tax and regulatory burdens and making iowa more conservative and we're proud to work on this every day. you know it's great to lead a state like this where you have

ambitious hardworking people and a population that gets more diverse every year. lieutenant governor and are work together see that each and every iowan has the opportunity to achieve the american dream and we'll do that by getting government out of the way and giving business community the opportunity to grow and realize their dreams and the individual iowa entrepreneur and the individual iowa worker the on for the education they need to have skills for those great jobs to be created in this state in the future. we want those new start up businesses to succeed and grow in our state and ensure all iowa that they have the opportunity to be part of the healthiest state in america by taking ownership of their own health and working with us to reduce the cost and increase the

accessibility for healthcare for iowans. we'll provide opportunities for our children and i'm excited and hopefull for the future. you've heard of the things that have happened recently but we've just begun. if we continue to reduce commercial and industrial property tax to make iowa more conservative we'll have more start up business and more growth in the future. we're not satisfied with 5.1% unemployment. we'd like to be where north can co the is at 2.7. we having a ri culture but they having a ri culture and oil. i had a good conversation with the governor of north dakota that shares our basic philosophy

about the way we grow our economy and make our states more conservative. i want everyone to know how much i appreciate your personal support and financial success you've made to give me the great honor of serving you and promise, i will work each and every day to continue to earn your support and confidence and to make this state the best that it can be. we want iowa is a great state with a lot of wonderful people but i believe our future can be even brighter because of what you are doing. and i'm just honored and proud to be part of this wonderful team that we've been able to put together to lead this state so. with that, i just want to end by saying. thank you god bless you and i just - enjoy the music and at

least have at least one of these cupcakes. and thank you for your support. i appreciate it. thank you very much. [applause]

[musi

[music] >> coming up next. "washington journal" live with your calls and tweets and e-mails and news makers with former governor and jim. confirmation for afghan war commander. next on "washington journal," a look at the republican party and hispanic voters flowing the 2012 election and then we'll talk about the policy agenda and liberal and progressive movements and discussion on the new